1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power cable connector, and more particularly to a power cable connector being compatible with Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) and Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) standards.
2. Description of Related Art
Floppy disk drive (FDD) devices, IDE devices and SATA devices may be installed in some computers together, especially document control, library or archive computers. If the computers provide only SATA power connectors, the FDD devices and the IDE devices cannot be powered by the power supply in the same computers.
To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings, with reference to FIG. 15, a conventional power connector meeting SATA and IDE standards as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,831 is taught. The conventional power connector has a SATA connector plug (40), an IDE connector plug (50), a terminal assembly and an insulation element (70). The SATA connector plug (40) and the IDE connector plug (50) are respectively disposed on two sides. The terminal assembly comprises multiple IDE power terminals (51) and multiple SATA power terminals (41) respectively arranged as Live-Ground-Ground-Live and Live-Ground-Live-Ground-Live. Therefore, two adjacent SATA and IDE power terminals (41, 51) are not aligned with corresponding adjacent IDE and SATA power terminals (51, 41). Multiple connection segments (61, 62) respectively connect the SATA and IDE power terminals (41, 51). Two connection segments (62) are crooked to cross over each other so each connects a corresponding IDE power terminal (51) and a corresponding SATA power terminal (41). The insulation element (70) is mounted between the crooked connection segments (62) and other connection segments (61) adjacent to the crooked connection segment (62) to prevent contact and short circuits between the connection segments (61, 62). When the IDE connector plug (50), the SATA connector plug (40), the terminal assembly and the insulation element (70) are assembled together, the insulation element (70) will be pressed by the connection segments (61, 62).
However, a finished conventional power connector may be rejected due to misalignment of the insulation element (70) during manufacture, and such misalignment may:
allow the crooked connection segment (62) to contact other connection segments (61) causing short circuit;
cause the insulation element (70) to break the connection segments (61, 62); or
cause the IDE power terminals (51) to move out of line so the connection of IDE power terminals (51) with an IDE device may be broken, or the IDE device may be jammed or damaged.
Furthermore, the conventional power connectors must be assembled with power wires on power supplies by manufacturers. End-users cannot disassemble and reassemble the conventional power connectors, such as replacing broken conventional power connectors.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a power cable connector compatible to SATA and IDE standards to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.